Vhong Navarro turns over cellphone to NBI, deleted text messages to be retrieved

Television host and actor Vhong Navarro turned over his cellular phone to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Thursday night to support his complaint of illegal detention, serious physical injuries, grave threat and extortion against model-stylist Deniece Cornejo, businessman Cedric Lee and several others. Navarro earlier claimed that Lee took his cell phone when they were at the Southern Police District Office (SPDO) in Taguig on the night of January 22 to delete the exchange of text messages between him and Cornejo. Navarro was brought to the Taguig SPDO by Cornejo's group to report his alleged rape attempt on her. Navarro signed the blotter report but later told investigators that he was blackmailed into doing so by Cornejo's group. In an interview aired on GMA 7's early evening news program "24 Oras", NBI director Virgilio Mendez said there was a big chance the deleted text messages could be retrieved. Deleted messages The allegedly deleted text messages between Navarro and Cornejo were supposedly exchanged from January 17, when Navarro first visited Cornejo in her condominium unit at Forbeswood Heights in Bonifacio Global City, until the mauling incident that occurred in the same condo unit on January 22. According to Navarro's sworn affidavit, earlier submitted to the NBI, Cornejo sent him a text message saying "Bad boy ka" after he left the latter's condo unit on January 17 to which, he replied "Sorry talaga." Navarro claimed they drank wine and made out on that first meeting. Navarro further claimed that the exchange of messages with Cornejo continued in the next few days after January 17. He said Cornejo even called him "sweetie" in her messages and invited him to visit her again in her condo unit, which, Navarro did on January 22. In a separate interview with "24 Oras", Cornejo denied sending such messages to Navarro."Ay wala pong ganun, saka ang dami ko pong ginagawa para makipag text pa sakanya," Cornejo said. Lee's demands The NBI meanwhile confirmed that they have copies of Lee's text messages to Navarro a day after the actor was mauled. GMA News managed to take photos of Navarro's cellphone screen showing Lee's text messages, but a source requested the photos not be aired. One of Lee's alleged text messages to Navarro, copied verbatim from photos obtained by GMA News, said: "Bayaran mo si deniece nung damages sa kanya and mga nawasak na furniture dun. Basag yun TV, etc. Text ko sayo account nya, kawawa yun tao. Pati mga sofa nya puro dugo. kailangang palitan na nya di matanggal ang mancha. I'll forward to u her account details. pasalamat ka yan lang siningil nya. pag inulit mo pa yan, dilang yan ang mangyayari sayo." In his second text message Lee said: "Wag kang mangg**o vhong. pwede ka pumirma ng withdrawal slip at iconfirm mo lang sa bank manager mo. itawag mo lang. maawa ka dun sa bata. walang furniture magamit. puro na sira natin. dahil sa kag**uhan mo. pag di mo dineposit hanggang bukas, alam mo na." In his third text message Lee said: "U have our word. u call our common friends and ask if we're men of our word. we're not extortionists. we just give justice to where justice is due. we don't need ur money. barya lang samin yan. u need to pay deniece for the damages and the furniture destroyed." In his fourth and last text message Lee said: "Nag complain ka pala sa nbi ha. gusto po pa media nalang natin ito at nang malaman ng buong bayan ang ginawa mo. p****g ina mo. pakita mo itong mga text kosa kanila p****g ina mo. sige wag mo nang bayaran yun mga nadamage mo. talo talo na tayo." All the messages were sent to Navarro on Jan. 23, according to "24 Oras" report. — Elizabeth Marcelo/DVM, GMA News